1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a machine and method for the production of filled pasta shells.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditionally, foods such as ravioli and tortellini which include a filling or stuffing wrapped in a pasta shell have been made by hand. The production of such stuffed pasta shell products by hand is labor intensive and costly. A machine that automatically fills a pasta shell and folds the shell around the pasta shell filling and rolls the pasta shell and pasta shell filling into a final shape having a traditional appearance appealing to consumers has yet to be developed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,433 discloses an automatic egg roll making machine. A conveyor includes a plurality of conveyor plates which are hinged together. Egg roll skins are fed onto the conveyor by a feeding device which supplies an individually cut section of the egg roll skin onto each conveyor plate. A rotary turntable is located above the conveyor plates and is indexed to drop food stuffing onto the section of egg roll skin as each conveyor plate is beneath an opening in the rotary turntable. The food stuffing is dropped onto the section of egg roll skin at a location where the egg roll skin overlies a mold cup. The mold cup is-pivotally supported on the conveyor plate at a position below the conveyor plate by a hinge rod that is transverse to the conveying direction of the conveyor. Each conveyor plate also includes side folding plates that are pivotally mounted. The food stuffing is dropped onto the egg roll skin and compacted into the mold cup. The side folding plates are pivoted to fold opposing side corners in the egg roll skin. The mold cup is then pivoted from below the conveyor plate to above the conveyor plate to begin the rolling of the food stuffing. A bonding agent is sprayed on the exposed area of the egg roll skin and two rollers roll the egg roll into a final shape.
One aspect of the invention provides a machine and method for forming a filled pasta shell into a final shape having a traditional appearance pleasing to consumers.
A machine for filling a pasta shell according to a first aspect of the invention includes a conveyor having at least one mold cup that is openable and closeable and affixed to the conveyor, a filling station at which a pasta shell filling is inserted within the pasta shell while the mold cup is open, a folding station that causes the mold cup to close to thereby fold leaves of the pasta shell on top of one another and around the pasta shell filling, the mold cup opening downstream the folding station to allow the pasta shell to exit the mold cup, and a rolling station that rolls the pasta shell and pasta shell filling after being removed from the mold cup into a final shape.
A machine for handling a flexible food product according to another aspect of the invention includes a conveyor, a mold cup attached to the conveyor, the mold cup including first and second cup halves that are openable to receive a filling, and a folding station that causes the first and second mold cup halves to fold leaves of the flexible food product over the filling to form a folded, filled food product, the first and second cup halves opening following folding of the leaves to release the folded, filled food product.
A method for filling a pasta shell according to another aspect of the invention includes conveying a pasta shell within a mold cup to a filling station, filling the pasta shell with a pasta shell filling, and closing the mold cup to fold leaves of the pasta shell around the pasta shell filling.
These and other aspects of the invention will be described in or apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments.